The Leader has been named the best large weekly newspaper in Arkansas. It has offices in Jacksonville and Cabot and covers north Pulaski County, Lonoke County and White County. The Leader is a family owned and operated newspaper that was founded in 1987.

Friday, July 01, 2016

TOP STORY >> Veteran, alderman applauded

By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer

Former Alderman Lex “Butch” Davis, 71, who died in April, was honored Monday night at the Sherwood City Council meeting with a proclamation read by state Rep. Karilyn Brown.

The proclamation, signed by all local state legislators, applauded Davis for his service and leadership to Sherwood and his country.

The decorated veteran served as alderman from 1998 to 2010.

He served in the Army from 1961 to 1969 when he was honorably and medically discharged because of disabling injuries sustained in Vietnam. While in the service he was awarded a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star.

According to the proclamation, Davis was the “personification of servant leadership, persistently gave of his time, talents and treasures to the people of the City of Sherwood, the Little Rock Air Force Base and all Central Arkansas Veterans.”

He was an inductee into the Arkansas Veterans Hall of Fame and an active and lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2935 in Sherwood. Davis was also instrumental in forming Sherwood’s annual parade saluting veterans.

“This proclamation recalls his magnificent life,” Brown said at the meeting.

Davis’ wife and family accepted the proclamation.

In other council business:

After debating for about 20 minutes, Sherwood aldermen approved the use of a metal façade for the new library.

The material will be used on a portion of the front and most of the back and sides where glass, or glazing, is not used.

Since the council re-vamped its construction ordinance after some aldermen disagreed with the metal façade choice Witt Davis used, all exterior building material not specifically approved in the existing ordinance must come before the council.

When Alderman Mary Jo Heye asked if the metal product was a cost-saving measure, the architect said it actually cost more than brick.

“If we used brick across the building instead of this metal the library would not be as thought provoking, cutting edge or forward looking,” said Alan New, the Taggart representative.

Resident Kyle Johnson was honored by the Sherwood Fire Department for his actions, which saved the lives of a young boy and an elderly woman when a fire broke out in their apartment back in April.

Recent Lisa Academy North High School graduate Jenny Finch, who also served as the vice president of the Mayor’s Youth Council, was presented with a $500 check to help with her college expenses. She was awarded the funds for her outstanding leadership both at school and as a member of the youth council.

Aldermen approved a conditional use request for the storage facility at 7225 Hwy. 107 to rent U-Haul trucks and allow the vehicles to be parked outside the storage facility’s fence after hours, if necessary.

The mayor suggested it is time to have a workshop to discuss funding possibilities for the completion of Maryland Avenue.

She said she knew there had been good discussion at the last few street committee meetings and that it is now time for the entire council to brainstorm.